The Draft: Sunny Saisons

Sometimes, you just want a beer. Not a barrel-aged coffee stout, not a vintage barley-wine, not a thick, smokey rauchbier. No thanks. It’s sunny, you’re out in the yard, and you want something light and bubbly, dammit. In Belgium, land of extra-strong (and extra-weird) brews, old-time farmers faced that dilemma: load up on quadruples at lunch, and you probably won’t be heading back to the fields after. So the saison was born.

Saisons are pale ales, usually low in alcohol, moderately hopped, and made with traditionally funky Belgian yeasts, which gives them spicy, sour notes (and makes the beer cloudy, too). Try Pretty Things Jack D’Or, a so-called "saison Americain," referring to the kinds of hops it uses (west-coast stalwarts like Nugget and Cascade). The hops are strong and citrusy, but this isn’t one of those meaty, eye-watering IPAs—thanks to the three different yeasts it’s more sour than bitter, and the oats and wheat mid in with the barley malt give it a mellow, creamy foam. The hops are there in moderation, but this isn’t a beer to be drunk that way. Enjoy a couple, then get back to work. Or not.

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